• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.233-242
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• 1976

In this paper, new methods for the determination of the total and the individual saponin glucosides were proposed. One of them was a colorimetric method following Two-dimensional Thin layer chromatography. And the method employing Thinchrograph TFG-10 or Densitorol DMU-33C followed the separation of the saponins by means of a preparative thin layer chromatography. In accordance with the density of the chromatogram of each saponin, Thinchrogram or Densitogram of the individual saponin fraction was plotted and determined.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.402-408
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• 2007

This study was conducted in order to evaluate the antioxidant activity of extruded ginseng in different extracted fractions. Each of the fractions obtained from extruded ginseng and ginseng (control) were extracted with 80% ethanol, and then the lipophilic components were removed with ether while the hydrophilic components were separated with water-saturated butanol. Each of the 80% ethanol/butanol/water layers were collected and evaporated to acquire samples for tests of saponin content and antioxidant activity. The antioxidant activity of extruded ginseng fractions and ginseng fractions were determined via the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay. Overall, the extruded ginseng samples harbored saponin contents of 2.2 (Rg1), 2.3 (Re), 1.2 (Rc), 1.3 (Rb2), and 2.2 (Rd) times that measured in the ginseng prior to extrusion. Antioxidant capacity was also higher, not only in the 80% ethanol/butanol which harbor a significant quantity of saponin, but also in the water fractions, which harbor relatively low quantities of saponin as compared to the control samples. All three of the fractions extracted from extruded ginseng evidence significantly higher antioxidant capacity than the controls (0.05

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.279-285
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• 2015

Background: Korean Red Ginseng has been used as a traditional oriental medicine to treat illness and to promote health for several thousand years in Eastern Asia. It is widely accepted that ginseng saponins, ginsenosides, are the major active ingredients responsible for Korean Red Ginseng's therapeutic activity against many kinds of illness. Although the crude saponin fraction (CSF) displayed antiplatelet activity, the molecular mechanism of its action remains to be elucidated. Methods: The platelet aggregation was induced by collagen, the ligand of integrin ${\alpha}_{II}{\beta}_I$ and glycoprotein VI. The crude saponin's effects on granule secretion [e.g., calcium ion mobilization and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) release] were determined. The activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), including extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs), and p38 MAPK, and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt was analyzed by immunoblotting. In addition, the activation of integrin ${\alpha}_{II}b{\beta}_{III}$ was examined by fluorocytometry. Results: CSF strongly inhibited collagen-induced platelet aggregation and ATP release in a concentration-dependent manner. It also markedly suppressed $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ mobilization in collagen-stimulated platelets. Immunoblotting assay revealed that CSF significantly suppressed ERK1/2, p38, JNK, PI3K, Akt, and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1/2 phosphorylation. In addition, our fraction strongly inhibited the fibrinogen binding to integrin ${\alpha}_{IIb}{\beta}_3$. Conclusion: Our present data suggest that CSF may have a strong antiplatelet property and it can be considered as a candidate with therapeutic potential for the treatment of cardiovascular disorders involving abnormal platelet function.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.60-65
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• 1998

The effect of Korean red-ginseng extract on the proliferation and cellular activity of mouse B and T lymphocytes was examined in vitro. Both water and ethanol extract from red-ginseng increased the growth of normal B and T lymphocytes 1.5∼2.5-folds. Saponin and polysaccharide fractions from ginseng extract also stimulated the proliferation of normal lymphocytes much higher than several well-known immunostimulators. B and T lymphoma cell lines responded to the ginseng extract and fractions by growth, too, while non-lymphoid cell lines did not. Immunoglobulin production of unprimed B-lymphocytes was little affected by the ginseng extract and fractions, though the ethanol extract slightly enhanced Ini, production of B-lymphocytes. When cytolytic activity of T lymphocytes against tumor tells was induced in vitro, both of the saponin and polysaccharide fractions and the ginseng ethanol extract increased the cellular activity of cytotoxic T lymphocytes 4-5-folds, while the ginseng water extract did not. Especially, the saponin fraction exhibited 10-times higher stimulatory effect on the cytolytlc activity of cytotoxic T cells than the ethanol extract and the pclysaccharide fraction did. These results suggest that Korean red-ginseng contain potent immunomodulating components to stimulate the proliferation of B and T lymphocytes and the cellular activity of cytotoxic T lymphocytes.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.327-335
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• 2010

We reported previously that the administration of Korean red ginseng water extract (KRG-WE) protected the guinea pig testis against damage induced by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (a potent endocrine disruptor). We also found that crude saponin from ginseng was the active ingredient responsible for this protection. Here, we examined the biological role of KRG-WE in an animal model of age-induced dysfunction of spermatogenesis. Twenty-four male Sprague-Dawley (six 2-month-old and eighteen 12-month-old) rats were used. The young and old control groups received only vehicle. The ginseng saponin (GS)- and KRG-WE-treated groups received GS (40 mg/kg body weight/day) and KRG-WE (200 mg/kg body weight/day), respectively, for 4 months. The number of cells, Sertoli cell index, Johnsen's score, and sex hormone levels decreased significantly with age. However, the administration of KRG-WE and GS markedly improved the number of germ cells, seminiferous tubular size, and Johnsen's score in the old rats. Ginseng produced a distinct testicular histological improvement in old rats. KRG-WE and GS elevated testosterone levels, while attenuating the aberrant increase in follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone levels. Sperm kinematics evaluated by a computer-assisted sperm analyzer demonstrated improvement in the percentage of motile sperm, progressive sperm motility, and curvilinear velocity associated with sperm quality, supporting the beneficial role of red ginseng in senile spermatogenesis. Overall, the total water extract had a more potent effect than the corresponding saponin fraction. In conclusion, Korean red ginseng rejuvenated age-induced testicular dysfunction. Additionally, the total water extract was more potent than the corresponding saponin fraction.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.212-218
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• 1995

A human hepatoma cell line, hep G2, was used to investigate the mechanism of serum cholesterol reduction by ginseng total saponin, ginsenoside-$Rb_1$, - $Rb_2$, and non-saponin fraction (ether extraction). Hep G2 cells were incubated in 10 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml of cholesterol containing serum free-RPMl1640 medium with various concentration of ginseng components. The amounts of cholesterol in Hep G2 cells were decreased to maximum 51% in total saponin or two ginsenoside-treated groups while there was 137% increase in cholesterol level of control group as compared with that of normal group. Nonsaponin groups did not show the same effect. In order to elucidate the observed changes in the amount of cholesterol, the activity of amyl CoA : cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) in groups showing remarkable reduction in cholesterol amount, i.e., total saponin 10-6%, ginsenoside-$Rb_1$ $10^{-4}$%, ginsenoside-$Rb_2$, $10^{-4}$%, and non-saponin fraction $10^{-4}$%, was assayed using [1-$^{-14}C$%]oleic acid as enzyme substrate. The activity of ACAT was increased in all groups tested as compared with that of control group except for non-saponin group cultured in water soluble cholesterol containing medium. The serum cholesterol lowering effects of ginseng components can partially be attributed to the increased hepatocellular ACAT activity.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.65-72
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• 1981

In this experiment, observations were made on the effects of ginseng saponin, one of the major components of Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng, C. A. Meyer) root, on the membranes of microorganism (E. coli K-12), the concentration of intracelluar and extracellular cycle AMP therein, and uptake of U-14C-glucose. When the E. coli were grown on media containing 0.1% ginseng saponin, the growth was faster than for that of the control by about 30 minutes. The lysis of E. coli grown on the ginseng saponin medium increased to about double that of the control in the stationary phase. And the amount of protein and lipopolysaccharides in the outer cell meberances increased 25% and 80% respectively in comparison with the control. By electron microscope observation, it was shown that the periplasmic region of the E. coli grown on the ginseng saponin medium was widened it was observed that the cellular cyclic AMP content of the E. coli increased significantly to the hightest levels between the late exponential phase and early stationary phase. The total cyclic AMP content of E. coli grown on the ginseng saponin medium decreased about 50% when compared to that of the control.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.24-29
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• 1989

The tumoricidal activity of marine macrophage against K562 tumor cells was studied in the presence of lipopolysaccharide(LPS) and ginseng saponin. 1 The tumoricidal activity was increased more by LPS treatment with ginseng saponin (44% in 24 hours) than by LPS only (22% in 24 hours). In the case of diol saponin, the tumoricidal activity was increased as much as 35% at concentrations of 10-3 to 1034%. Triol saponin increased the tumoricidal activity more than LPS only treatment at each concentration . 2. When total, dial and triol saponin were added to K.562 tumor cell in various concentration without macrophage, it was found that the ginseng saponin hall no tumoricidal effect. This result suggests that ginseng saponin increases the tumoricidal activity of K562 tumor celts through the tumoricidal activity of the macrophage.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.114-121
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• 1986

Effect of saponin fraction of ginseng C.A. Meyer on blood serum lipoprotein distribution of high cholesterol fed rabbits for two to four weeks was investigated. A. significant increase of very low density lipoprotein(VLDL) and low density lipoprotein(LDL) occured while high density lipoprotein(HDL) were decreased in the blood of both groups which were fed high cholesterol diet with (test group) and/or without ginseng saponin(control group) for 2-4 weeks. However the degrees of VLDL and LDL increase and HDL decrease were relatively small in ginseng administered group compared with control group. This suggests that the hypocholesterolemic action of the saponin might be brought about by decreasing the raised VLDL and LDL level and increasing the lowered HDL level.

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
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• 1990.06a
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• pp.1-14
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• 1990